Towards 3% R&D – the statistics tell us national innovation is faltering

Launching our new editorial series – Towards 3% – turbocharging our national innovation effort – innovation policy analyst Dr John Howard looks behind the statistics to reveal that Australia’s national R&D effort has slumped since 2009. In this edited excerpt, the first part of a two-part series, Dr Howard shows Australia is falling further behind.…

New energy superpower to new energy manufacturer – report

A new report has identified potential economic benefits from manufacturing above the generalised calls for Australia to become a renewables superpower. The report from the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), the Climate Action Network Australia, and the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures lays out the opportunities and actions required to stake out Australia’s value-added future.…

BioPak acquires reusable cup business Huskee

Packaging business BioPak has announced the acquisition of Australian-based reusable cup company, Huskee.  In a statement on Tuesday, BioPak said the deal “marks a significant partnership and alignment” and will “fast-track and strengthen both BioPak and Huskee’s shared vision towards a circular economy and a world without waste.” The value of the deal was not…

Sparc Hydrogen reports success with photocatalytic water splitting

Hydrogen technology developer Sparc Hydrogen has successfully tested its second generation prototype photocatalytic water splitting (PWS) reactor atop a solar tower at the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales (pictured). Sparc Hydrogen, a joint venture between the University of Adelaide, Fortescue and Sparc Technologies, tested over numerous trial runs the second generation prototype…